Antho jata bahi jata
Posted on May 17th, 2017
Editorial Courtesy The Island
May 17, 2017, 8:20 pm
It looks as if the UNP thought the SLFP had overstayed its welcome in the yahapalana government though the originally agreed two-year cohabitation period is not yet over. The SLFP has had to endure contempt, humiliation and obloquy at the hands of the UNP and its backers.
A collective of pro-UNP NGOs has recently reproached the SLFP members of the Cabinet for the government’s failure to make good on its pre-election pledges. It has also held them responsible for the inordinate delay in introducing the promised constitutional reforms. There seems to be an attempt to lay all the sins of the yahapalana regime on the SLFP goat, as it were, and banish it into the political wilderness.
Minister Lakshman Kiriella, too, has attributed the vexing cunctation in the constitution-making process to the SLFP’s failure to submit its constitutional proposals. The UNP and the SLFP are at loggerheads over a Cabinet reshuffle on the cards. Some UNP big guns have reportedly threatened to leave the government if their ministerial posts are changed. They suspect a surreptitious move on the part of the SLFP to consolidate its power in the government by granting all important ministerial posts to its Cabinet members. The UNP’s rank and file are openly questioning the party leadership’s wisdom of continuing with the yahapalana cohabitation. Some members of the UNP’s ginger group have made known their desire to join the Cabinet ‘to serve the public better’.
The SLFP is divided and it is now up to the UNP to take the tide in its affairs at the flood by going for an election or regret later. However, unless the UNP supporters are assured that they will have a government of their own in 2020 many of them may not be so enthusiastic as to cast their votes let alone go all out to campaign for their party’s victory.
The popularity of the yahapalana government, which has so far failed to live up to public expectations is manifestly on the wane. If the SLFP and the UNP are seen to be keen to resume their cohabitation after contesting future elections separately, frustrated voters are likely to look for an alternative. The Joint Opposition (JO) is likely to stand to gain in such an eventuality. (The JVP was hoping to capitalise on public disillusionment resulting from the failure of the two main parties on honeymoon, but its plan went awry due to the emergence of a formidable SLFP dissident group.)
President Sirisena is in a dilemma. He brought down a strong SLFP-led government in 2015 after defecting to the Opposition and winning the last presidential election. Thereafter, he engineered the SLFP-led UPFA’s defeat to prevent Mahinda Rajapaksa from becoming the Prime Minister. He has thus achieved his personal goals at the expense of the SLFP, which he currently leads. Now, he is faced with the daunting task of making the debilitated SLFP win elections!
The President is like a jockey who is trying to win a race with a horse he has willfully crippled. Besides the problems he faces in the national unity government, which is paradoxically characterised by disunity, he has had to contend with some other serious issues including the prospect of his loyalists losing power in two Provincial Councils. He may have been able to bring the situation under control in the North Central Province, wherein lies his home district, Polonnaruwa, by giving ministerial posts to some rebel councillors, but his problems are far from over. If the JO succeeds in wresting control of a Provincial Council that will mark the tipping point in the power struggle between the two factions of the SLFP.
Antho jata bahi jata—conflicts within, conflicts without!
May 18th, 2017 at 12:29 am
Aiyooo Sirisena,
Chose to LIVE by the DAGGER,
He will DIE by the DAGGER!
Such is the FATE of all CONNIVING BACKSTABBERS!
May 18th, 2017 at 4:58 pm
Sirisena will be doing a CABINET RESHUFFLE today. Now he has changed his mind on MANGALA. He wants KABIR HASHIM to become a the finance minister.
GOOD choice. Whatever party, he is MORE HONEST.
UNP crooks are determined to POSTPONE this by taking foreign trips.
I have written to Sira to appoint CHAMAL as a minister to KEEP the SLFP in one piece. That will also help CHAMAL’s son SHASHINDRA give up CM post to the UNP in UVA. UNP will be happy to have CENTRAL and UVA provinces.
Hope he will listen. Sira WON thanks to our GUERILLA ELECTION CAMPAIGNING. So he has to consider our requests.
UNP honeymoon won’t last long. SLFP has to be ready to DEFEAT it and PULL THE PLUG if the elephant turns wild again.
May 20th, 2017 at 2:37 am
Lorenzo, Aren’t done yet with your stupid deeds?
You and your ilk have done more than enough harm to this country with your GUERILLA ELECTION CAMPAIGN you should be crying in shame and not make more stupid proposals.
May 20th, 2017 at 4:09 am
NAK,
Well said! This undercover EELAMIST AGITATOR Katusa (Lorenzo) is shameless, and OFTEN makes ERRORS!
He FORGETS to consistently HIDE his support for the Yamapalanaya, and EXPOSES IT by supporting Sirisena, as he does here!
That OFTEN HAPPENS to DEVIOUS MACHIAVELLIAN people; their MOUTHS are their worst enemies, and they SIMPLY CANNOT KEEP THEIR STORY STRAIGHT! LOL!
May 20th, 2017 at 4:18 am
Oh, BTW …. lt is reported that Sirisena will do the Cabinet RESHUFFLE on Monday next, and not today.
The SAME SET of Yamapalanaya crooks will be Ministers, but they will have different portfolios!
This is the YAMAPALANAYA SHELL game of Musical Chairs to PROTECT those who have ERRED in the first two years from the consequences of their Crimes and their Bungling!
Reportedly, the UNP has reluctantly agreed, as long as the number of UNP ministers is not reduced and the UNP controls the SAME Ministries!
May 20th, 2017 at 6:13 am
NAK,
I did NOT support Yamapalayana govt. I only supported Sirisena.
My plan was to get Sirisena as president and MR as PM from 2015 to 2020 and then get GR elected as president in 2020. Otherwise there is NO WAY GR can become president EVER. NR will be next after MR IF MR won in 2015. Only GR will SCRAP 13 amendment.
May 20th, 2017 at 12:29 pm
All this goes to show that the Yahap govt is LED BY THE UNP, now and in the future.
May 20th, 2017 at 6:49 pm
On the other hand, INDIA may want some others at the top for the sake of INDIAN SECURITY, and the Lanka govt may alter …. ?